


Vows

by WolfAndHound_Archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Romance, Second War with Voldemort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-05
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-18 09:55:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5924083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WolfAndHound_Archivist/pseuds/WolfAndHound_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remus and Sirius decide to make it official.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vows

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Lassenia, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Wolf and Hound](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Wolf_and_Hound), which was created to make stories posted to the Sirius_Black_and_Remus_Lupin Yahoo! mailing list easier to find. However, even though I still love the fandom, I am no longer active in it and do not have the time to maintain it. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in December 2015. I posted an announcement with Open Doors, but we may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on the [Wolf and Hound collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/wolfandhound/profile).

Looking across the small gathering, Remus Lupin smiled to himself. The crowd of Weasleys blazing at one side of the spacious back yard made it appear that autumn had come early. However, his eyes quickly slewed back to the man standing next to him, radiant in luminously pale gray robes that set off the midnight hair. He was damascened silver, shining with an ethereal light that eclipsed the sun. But, even that glow dimmed in comparison to the diamond-bright beams that flashed from his eyes. He was lit from within with a palpable joy that made Remus’ breath catch in his throat. God, he loved this man.

For his part, Sirius Black had shoved his awareness of their gathered friends to the back of his mind, as he was prone to do when thinking important thoughts about Remus. Had anyone told him even two short years ago that they would finally wed, Sirius would have laughed bitterly. But life had taken a dramatic turn. He had been exonerated, his inheritance of home and fortune now in his own hands, and, finally, finally, after all these years, he could give his godson a home, and share it with his lover.

Now he stood next to Remus to celebrate what Sirius insisted on calling a wedding, even though the eyes of the law would not recognize it as such. In fact, those eyes might convey a message to the antediluvian brains running the Ministry of Magic that this rite was entirely illegal and its participants criminals. Sirius gave a mental shrug, tipping thoughts of the Ministry into his mental dustbin. 

The two men were supposed to be facing Albus Dumbledore, resplendent in regal purple robes, as he performed the ceremony uniting them. But, Sirius found he kept staring at Remus, standing tall and strong next to him. He was draped in deep gold, a color that only Sirius could truly appreciate because it was the color of Moony’s eyes. He looked like a king. His wide, hazel eyes shimmered with sparks of gold that seemed to light the very air around him with happiness. God, he loved this man.

Albus succeeded in getting everyone’s attention and proceeded with the ceremony. His grave demeanor reflected his belief in the sacredness of the union he was performing. That it would not be recognized in Wizard law because of Remus’ lycanthropy mattered not a jot to him. And though he spoke purposefully, with great seriousness, it was obvious to all there by the gleam in his eyes how happy he was for the two men before him.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he declared. “We are now about to bear witness to the holy vows these two men will pledge to each other, vows of love and honor and commitment. But first, they wish to share some thoughts with each other and with you.”

Albus stepped back, and Remus and Sirius turned to face each other. Sirius held out his hands and Remus took them in his own. After a long, silent moment Sirius’ face broke into a sweet smile of a sort that no one there had ever seen before, although they all suspected Remus had often been its recipient.

Sirius spoke quietly, but his voice, full of conviction and sincerity, carried easily to the farthest edge of the gathering. “Why does this wedding mean so much to me? There are so many reasons I can’t hope to list them all. But, they’re all because of you, Remus. Because of you and how completely you fill my life. Because:

You pretend to like asparagus and feign indifference to chocolate.

I run and tussle and howl with you.

We’ve survived the past.

You don’t insist that I throw out those old robes.

I can’t wait for you to come home, even if you’ve only been gone for an hour.

We’ve forgiven each other.

You are my Patronus.

I am a better man with your love to support me.

We never gave up.

You found my ring that was stripped from me so long ago.

I’ve rediscovered so many of my lost memories through you.

We still mine new treasures in each other, bringing to light rubies of the heart and diamonds of the soul.

You make me forget the darkest days of my life.

I’m blessed to call you friend, partner, lover, mate.

We combine the light of the moon and the stars.

You love me, in spite of my faults.

I love you, although I don’t deserve you.

We are one.”

Sirius raised Remus’ hands to his lips and placed a reverent kiss upon them. Remus’ knuckles turned white with the strength of his grip. The love in his eyes outshone the unshed tears shimmering like liquid crystal. He drew several deep breaths, blinking rapidly, and then smiled at Sirius. “I love you, Sirius. The many reasons why would fill volumes that would take the rest of my life to recite. And I promise to do just that. Today I’ll share some of the most important. 

You say things that make my knees weak, as you’ve just proven.

You always accepted me for what I am.

You never feared me.

You risked everything to help me.

You made me believe that I deserve friendship and happiness and love.

You give all of them to me.

You have the most attractive laugh lines I’ve ever seen.

You are blind to your own beauty.

You don’t grasp why your eyes mesmerize me, since you think they’re boring, dull gray.

You can be a complete idiot.

You give more than you expect to receive.

You twist your soul into agony to protect those you love.

You freely share your inner strength, a strength that even Azkaban couldn’t break.

You soothe me with your infinite tenderness.

You are the heart that beats in my breast.

You are my other half.

You are my beloved.

You are my mate.

I am yours.”

Those closest to the couple heard Sirius whisper a muffled “Thank you” to Remus in a voice choked with tears. Albus stepped forward to lead the couple in the recitation of their vows, which they spoke in voices as clear and strong as church bells. Finally, Dumbledore proclaimed, “We have heard Sirius and Remus pledge their vows to each other. Let us all now rejoice and bless their union with our love and friendship.”

Cheering and applause broke out as the two men embraced and kissed each other deeply, their tears mingling together on each other’s cheeks. 

~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~

Minerva McGonagall stood chatting with Hagrid and Dumbledore, all three of them sampling the fine champagne. She was inordinately amused by the vision of a delicate crystal flute of champagne nipped tightly but gently between two of Hagrid’s sausage-sized fingers. The usually severe expression of the Transfiguration Professor had been replaced by one of smiling indulgence as she watched her one-time students swear their love for each other. A sudden worry struck her. “Albus, they won’t have any trouble from the Ministry about this ceremony, will they?”

“Why should they? Legally it’s not recognized, so in the Ministry’s eyes, nothing binding has occurred here today.”

“Still, you know what a stickler Fudge can be. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wanted to make an issue of it.” She sniffed disparagingly. “It would allow him to further ignore You-Know-Who.”

Hagrid chuckled. “He also hates bad publicity, Professor. Yeh don’t think yon quiverin’ mass o’ jelly wants ter have the Daily Prophet an’ the rest screamin’ about how he an’ his Ministry lackeys are houndin’ poor Sirius Black and won’t let the man live his life in peace.”

“What’s all this? I thought I only had to worry about Weasley trouble on my honeymoon. You’re telling me the Ministry will have people hiding under the bed?” A smiling Sirius joined them.

Dumbledore filled him in. “We were discussing whether or not the Ministry might want to make an issue of today’s happy event.”

Sirius shrugged. “Technically, our wedding is illegal in the myopic view of the law.”

Minerva frowned at him. “You don’t seem overly concerned.”

“Oh, I’m not. The Ministry only imprisons me for crimes I haven’t committed. They never come after me for the laws I actually break.”

Albus eyed him curiously. “How many are you up to now, keeping in mind that you’re no longer an unregistered Animagus?

“Headmaster!” Minerva reverted back to professorial mode. “Why must you encourage him?”

“Well, Minerva,” said Albus benignly. “He does seem to have a talent for it.”

“Let’s see,” Sirius mused. “Breaking and entry and general thievery, all unpunished, were pretty standard when I was on the run. I had to get funds out of my Gringott’s account and into Remus’ in ways that could only be described as money laundering. And, of course, there is that motorcycle.”

“You’re a total reprobate and I don’t know why I put up with you,” said Remus, walking up to slip his arm around Sirius. 

“Because you can’t resist my laugh lines.” They all laughed.


End file.
